Page 69 is the opening of a chapter in which FBI Special Agent Tony Carillo is starting his investigation into the man who was arrested for killing a U.S. senator. The case seems pretty clear cut and there are plenty of witnesses. The suspect is a diagnosed paranoid schizophrenic who went off his meds—at least according to the preliminary reports. A little digging opens up a bigger question:

December 7Washington, D.C.

The first thing FBI Special Agent Tony Carillo did was order up a copy of the blood panel from the shooter’s arrest, and with that in hand, walked it to the FBI’s own lab. Aside from the PCP, there was one drug listed that Carillo didn’t recognize.

The doctor at the FBI lab read over the report. “Nothing outstanding. This drug is used to treat hypothyroidism.”

“The guy was schizophrenic. Went off his meds. So this would be normal?”

“Depends. Went off his meds for how long?”

“I’m not sure anyone said. Why?”

“Might help to know why and when he went off. Because he didn’t like the way he felt on them? Or was it because his symptoms weren’t under control and that fed into his delusional fears?”

Carillo finished his coffee, then tossed the cup in the trash, saying, “Mind you I don’t know jack about psychiatry, but if he was paranoid and went off his meds because of a delusional fear, why would he still be taking his hypothyroid medicine?”